Fang and Claw
by AisuhanaRyuuInari
Summary: .Hiatus:: She was rejected by her people and a bounty was placed on her head. Now she must struggle to survive. But will she have help? And maybe find a little romance on the way? Rated M for some language and maybe some future lemons.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: (I always forget to do this thing . . . I hate it.) I don't own _Hawksong_, _Snakecharm_, or _Unleash the Night_.

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Prologue

My life was hell. I was the Forbidden Child--not one race, but two. At first my parents loved each other. They believed that even though their major species was the same, their individual species would be enough to prevent a child. So they loved. They mated. They had me. A creature they considered an abomination. Neither one nor the other, but a mixture of both. My mother called me a mutant, a weak thing to be killed. My father considered me a loathful creature, not worthy of even licking the dirt from between his claws.

After I was born, they fought constantly. My father's clan took us in, though grudgingly. My mother was the last of her kind. At least of the pure breeds. When I was five, their verbal fight turned physical. They shifted forms and attacked each other, rattling the small hovel and my cage with their roars. Father was mortally wounded and my mother then turned her fangs to me. But before she could even reach the cold, steel bars of my prison, my father killed her in one swipe of his paw. His vengeance taken, he fell, his cold, golden orbs staring lifelessly into eternal space.

Eleven years passed and I stayed in the clan. Though I was treated as an outcast, I didn't mind. Being alone, I couldn't hurt anyone and no one could hurt me. Nobody bothered me if I kept myself invisible.It was working . . . for a while. I was still looked upon as a cub by both the Tigrion and the Contardi. Even with that fact, I was still considered extremely beautiful, and the females hated me for it. The males hated me because they knew they could never have me. And they had a nasty habit of destroying whatever they couldn't have.

So I was hunted. I ran, they pursued. There was nowhere I could go--I knew it and they knew it. I was dead. Looking up at the sky, I laughed at the irony. For the past three months it had been rainy and cloudy non-stop. Today there was blue sky and bright shafts of sunlight. It was as though the world knew my end was near and was rejoicing. I didn't intend for that to happen. I ran faster as anger built inside me, overpowering the fear that had taken over me when I realized they were going to tear me apart. I ran faster still, smirking at the frustrated growls of my pursuers. There was no way they were going to catch me, I was a beast with no intention of being caught or killed. I would survive.

I masked my scent to make it harder for them to track me. Then I led them everywhere--turning around, backtracking, changing from one form to the other then back again. I changed again and swung from the tree branches, making it even harder for them. They would not get me without a fight, both mental and physical.

Finally, the day ended. I was exhausted. Finding a cave near a pond, I bathed, materialized clothes around my body, and entered. Listening to the sounds of the night, I could here "my clan's" roars and growls of anger, irritation, and frustration. They were still on the first leg of my escape. With luck they would not find this cave until mid-day tomorrow. I was only going to sleep for a few hours to recoup my strength, then continue on. But I slept far longer than I intended. When I awoke, it was already well into the morning and the others were getting close. Too close.

Not taking the time to stretch my sore muscles, I broke away from the trees just as one of them cleared the bushes hiding my little pond and cave. He roared, signaling the others that he had found me. I hissed at him and sprinted away, my clan member close on my heels. I glanced back once. The one had turned to four. I ran faster, my breathing ragged, my lungs begging, burning for more air. I broke the tree line and saw an extraordinary site. There before my lithe, running body was what appeared to be a castle of sorts. Narrowing my sea green eyes, I took in the site of men and women on the battlements. They had seen us and appeared to be raising an alarm.

My relief turned to shock as a few of the onlookers transformed from what looked like ordinary people to sparrows and ravens. They flew straight toward us, landing in the path I was running. Taking a defensive stance, the weapons that they had apparently shrunken in size by some strange magic, elongated and they raised them, ready for battle. I growled warningly at them, thinking they were trying to prohibit my passing. A few of them backed up a bit, but still they held their ground. My legs coiled. If I couldn't run through them, I'd jump over them. But as I got closer, I noticed their eyes were not trained on me, but upon my pursuers. They were going to protect me? But why?

I heard malicious growling behind me, and glanced back once again. They were gaining on me. My strength was waning. Looking ahead again, I willed myself to put on more speed. But it wasn't any use. The leader jumped, sinking his fangs into my neck. I hissed and roared, twisting my body, trying to shake him off. His fangs dug deeper into my tender flesh. I stopped thrashing and threw my body to the ground back first, crushing him beneath my larger form. There were a few advantages to being the offspring of two species.

Exhausted, I turned to the rest of the Tigrions, fully intending to fight till the end. But to my surprise, my "saviors" surrounded me protectively, weapons held at the ready and wings folded at their backs. It was still strange to me to see bird wings on the backs of humans. The Tigrions hesitated a second before charging. The "Bird Men", as I later dubbed them, fought. Finally, after nearly twenty minutes of staffs and swords clashing with claws and fangs, the battle ended with the Bird Men victorious. One of them turned to me and I assumed he was the leader. Shockingly to me, he was very attractive with dark hair that fell to just below his eyebrows; strong, chiseled facial features, and bright, liquid gold eyes. What shocked me even more was that I _was_ attracted to him. He was a completely different species than I was. My life was already screwed over as it was, I didn't need to be falling for some guy with ebony wings and one hell of a body.

He said something to his companions, then turned to me and said something. In all four of my forms I was able to understand the human language, but I couldn't comprehend what he was telling me. I couldn't hear anything. The wounds from my fight with the Tigrion were still bleeding profusely, but that's not what worried me. It was the fact that they were going numb. They weren't supposed to go numb.

Panicked, I growled, causing them to back away from me. I began backing up myself. Before I took five steps, my paws buckled beneath me and I fell to the ground with a loud _thump_. The Bird Men once again surrounded me, looks of worry and wariness on their faces, though it was hard to see. They tried not to let any of their emotions show. How strange. I hissed at them in warning, but I knew that with the state I was in, there was nothing I could do to stop them. My strength was entirely gone, and they knew it too.

They picked me up--it took three of them, I'm not _that_ heavy--and carried me to the castle I had seen earlier. Their wings were gone, but my attention was pulled away from that mystery when the gate groaned open. My eyes widened. This place was huge! There were birds and snakes everywhere, along with humans--some moving with serpentine grace, others seemed to be walking on their toes--and more of the strange Bird Men. Three people approached us--one man and two women, all had commanding presences. The man was dark--dark hair and red eyes which were filled with worry. The older woman, apparently his mate, had golden hair and eyes. They too showed her anxiety, though she hid it better than the man. The second and youngest of the trio was another woman. She had golden hair and her father's red eyes.

They all began talking to the man who had led the small rally that was my salvation. It was apparent to me that they were all family and the rulers of this "humble" abode. The golden eyed boy motioned to me, and his father studied my scathed body. He said something to those who were carrying me and they took me to an elegantly furnished room. There was a bed on one end of the room that looked like it had come from the Middle East, and the rest of the furniture matched. My carriers lay me down on the bed and left. While I was alone, I allowed my eyes to explore. There were many ways I could escape should they threaten me. Though I didn't like the idea of running from a fight, I was still to weak to do so.

The door opened and I whipped my head around. In entered a short, stocky woman. She moved much like a nervous sparrow would, carrying a clay bowl with a smutty gray liquid inside. I narrowed my eyes once again and growled in warning. I didn't like to be around others. I was solitary, always had been and always would be. She didn't even hesitate, which had me slightly amused. I sniffed the air and smelled the slight stench of her fear. She was masking it wonderfully, but I still had to fight my inner self to quell the beast within. It was in my nature to attack the weak. But these people were being kind enough to bring me here and try to nurse me back to health. I would allow these ministrations for a little while, but when I was well enough to leave, I would.

The woman set the bowl down near enough to me that I merely had to dip my head to lap it up. I sniffed it and gave a hiss. The stuff smelled disgusting! She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. I growled at her again, but lapped up the strange substance. I immediately felt the effects of the drug. My limbs and eyes grew heavy and I lay my head on my paws. I could very well use the rest, but I still did not trust them. When I slept or was unconscious in any way, I reverted to my true, half breed guise. But there was nothing I could do. My eyes closed completely and darkness took me. I only hoped they wouldn't try anything once they discovered what I was.

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Alrighty people. I would like your opinions on some things. First of all, I wanna know if I should put a few lemons in here. Laney says yes, but what about the rest of you? And if I do, should I make it really lemony or just mild? Also, I put this in the book crossovers cause for one, it kinda is a crossover and two they didn't have the book or author I was looking for. So it got stuck here. Hope you enjoyed it, and please Review. JA MISSAN! 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I awoke to the sounds of running feet and orders being yelled. I rose to my paws, only to fall back down with a low growl. It hurt to move. All of my muscles were sore and aching after my run and fight with the Tigrions. My neck wound was almost healed, luckily. Thank God for granting the Contardi magic.

I steeled myself for the inevitable shots of pain that would go through my body and stood. I didn't move for a few minutes, allowing my body to adjust to the shift in weight and position. Once the worst of the aches subsided, I changed into my human form. The strain was almost too much, and I fell to one knee, gasping.

I must have been louder than I thought, for the guard posted at my door came in. _They're a cautious bunch. What do they think I'm was gonna do, creep around and eat their children?_

The guard took a cautious step toward me, like I would pounce on her at any moment. Oh, wait. I probably would. "Are you okay? Should I call someone?"

I just stared. I wasn't the most talkative person. I heard more yelling and a group of guards ran past my door. The woman ran out and talked with one. She came back, her face hard. "Stay here."

"What's going on?" I asked. _Damn my curiosity._

She didn't answer. Instead, she turned and locked the door.

I growled in annoyance. If they thought I was going to stay locked in here like a caged animal (no pun intended), then they had another thought coming. Ignoring my pain, I walked forward, my claws extending. I raised my hand, preparing to strike when the door suddenly opened. I drew back my hand too fast and stumbled backward. Landing on my back, I lay there for a moment, stunned. I sat up and saw the four royals looking down at me, the women and boy with a little shock and the man with amusement. I growled at him, and I saw something flicker past his eyes. It wasn't fear. It was almost predatorial . . .

I shrugged. I didn't care. I'd already been hunted because I was different and had survived on my own all of my life. I wasn't afraid of a man with red eyes, or his family.

He stepped forward and offered his hand to help me up. I looked at his hand, then stood up on my own.

"My name is Zane Cobriana. And this is my mate, Danica," he pointed to the woman with golden hair and eyes, "And our twin children Makeila and Damian." He motioned to the girl and the boy. "Damien is the one that led the rescue party a few days ago."

I glanced at him, then back to his father. "So I noticed." I knew my voice was cold, but it didn't seem to faze Zane at all. His daughter, Makeila, narrowed her ruby eyes at me. I was sure she thought my tone was disrespectful. But I didn't really care. I returned her glare full force.

Danica stepped forward then, noticing the tenseness pass through the two of us. "How are you feeling? You looked pretty worn out when they brought you in."

Once again, I didn't answer. I only looked at her, my face expressionless. She looked around nervously, anywhere except at my sea green eyes. I'm guessing Makeila got tired of my silence and refusal to talk to her parents in a "civilized" manner. Hey, where I came from, I was being more than friendly. She stepped forward menacingly, her hand on the dagger tied at her waist.

"My mother asked you a question. You should answer her."

"Now, Makeila, calm down. If she doesn't want to answer she doesn't have to. She has no clue where she is or who we are, so I don't blame her for keeping her silence," Damian spoke up on my behalf.

Makeila looked at her twin with annoyance and anger clear on her face. "I don't really care how she feels. She is disrespecting us and our home."

Now I realized what and who they were. They were Contardi--Makeila and her father were serpiente and Danica and Damian were hawks. The two snakes were the royal cobras--one brown and the other black. The serpiente Amari, or Prince, was known as the fiercest warrior of the serpents. That is, until he married Danica Shardae, future Tuuli Thea of the avians. Zane mated with the future queen in order to end the numerous decades of war between the two races. It wasn't easy at first, and I'm sure there were still those who thought the relationship foolhardy, but they pulled it off. The war ended and no more blood was shed. The snake and the hawk had two children. Each had their own palace, each on opposite ends. All four of the points of the compass were occupied. The Hawks Keep to the north, the serpiente palace to the south. Prince Damian's palace to the east and the Princess' to the west. Somewhere in the middle of them all were the Mistari lands. My homelands, which I abandoned and which abandoned me.

I turned my orbs to Damian, the new Amari, and spoke up. "I know exactly who you are. You and your mother are avian hawks. And Zane and Makeila are cobras."

They all looked at me with surprise. "So the cub knows of us. She's more intelligent than I'd have given her credit for," Makeila said once her shock passed.

I narrowed my eyes at her and growled low in my throat. "I'd watch that forked tongue of yours, Princess. You might lose it if you're not careful."

She returned the glare but wisely kept her mouth shut. She knew I didn't make empty threats. My attention was returned to the chaos occurring outside. "What's going on out there?"

Zane spoke up. "That's the reason we came to you. It seems your people are a little . . . upset . . . that you got away and the ones who were tracking you are dead. It seems the beast you killed was the mate of the Tigress leading this party. She wants to speak to you."

He held his arm out to the door, signaling that I should go before him. I hesitated a moment, then proceeded forward. It was time I put my "people" behind me. For good.

The Tigress he was speaking of was named Zaara. She was indeed the mate of Tiberius, whom I'd killed yesterday in order to save my life. I hated her as much as I hated all of them, so I didn't really care how she felt.

I climbed the stairs to the battlements and looked out over the stone. I wasn't surprised at the number of Tigrions assembled, it was their leader I had crushed. "What do you want, Zaara?" I yelled down to her, my voice showing how bored and uncaring I really was.

She growled up at me. "Justice! I want justice for my mate's murder!"

I laughed emotionlessly. "Do I look like I care about the death of a bastard who tortured me all of my life? Just for his own pleasure?"

"A filthy half breed like yourself deserved it! You had no place among our ranks. You have no place in this _world_!" My eyes narrowed and my fangs elongated. I knew she could see me just as clearly as I could see her, but she didn't take the hint. "You may be the last of your mother's filthy race, but it was doomed to failure long ago. And you're not even a pure Sarfandus, so basically your mother's line is ended. And your father! He had it coming long ago, stupid Tigrion. He was always crazy, it was no surprise when it finally got the best of him."

I didn't really care for the insults, I'd heard them for a long time now. I was just bored. Before anyone could stop me, I leaped down, changing into my true Tigrion/Sarfandus form while still in the air. She was anticipating me. As soon as I landed, a full out battle ensued.

We charged at each other, fangs bared and claws out. The remaining Tigrions surrounded us, allowing none of the observing avians or serpientes to interfere. We met in the middle, tearing into each other. She swiped me across the jaw and I kicked her in the ribs, my extended claws ripping through her soft middle. She grunted in pain and backed up, only to charge straight at me. I shook my head and dodged, but not fast enough. I was still sore from my previous fight. She clamped her vise-like jaws onto the back of my neck, in the same spot Tiberius had bitten three days before. I hissed in pain and tried to throw her off. I succeeded and she hit the ground hard.

I once again charged at her, intending to finish her off. She barely evaded me and twisted around lightning quick and slashed my back. When she drew back, I got a plan. I backed off, making her think she had won. Stupidly falling for it, she grinned a big Cheshire grin and came for me. I bowed my head and waited . . . waited . . . She was almost on me and still I waited . . . She opened her jaws, ready for the finish. I shot my head up too fast to see and tore her throat out. She was dead before she hit the ground.

I turned to the rest of the Tigrions, fully expecting them to jump in. Instead, to my surprise and relief, they growled at me and turned away, heading back into the Mistari lands. I headed back into the palace, ready to answer all of the questions that I knew would come. _This is going to take a lot of explaining . . . I hope they serve meat here. I don't think my hosts would appreciate me picking off a few young ones . . .

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I hope this works for you guys. Please R&R so I know what needs to be changed and/or explained. Thanks all! JA! 


	3. Chapter 2

Ok. This chapter might not be completely up to snuff. I seem to have slight writer's block and it took me a little while. Plus it was hard keeping the main character in character. But I hope you guys like it.

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Chapter 2

As I entered the serpiente palace once again, I was met by a barrage of guards. None had their weapons drawn, but all were wary.

"Calm down. I'm not going to attack. At least not for the moment," I said, smirking.

Zane came through the center of the group. "It seems you have a bit of explaining to do. Follow me and we can talk somewhere a little more comfortable and private."

He took me through a maze of passages and doorways. I didn't really think I'd need to escape, so I didn't pay attention to where I was going. We entered a fair sized room with six chairs, two on each side and one on each end of a table. Four of the chairs were filled and there was one person standing. The three royals sat in three of the chairs and a young woman sat in the other. There was a man standing behind her with his hand on her shoulder.

"Have a seat, and we'll get started." Zane motioned to one of the empty chairs.

I sat and he took the last one that wasn't occupied. I looked at them with a bored expression. I glanced at the two I didn't know and they returned the gesture. They were both avians, that was for sure. And it looked like they were mates.

Danica addressed me. "Would you mind telling us what exactly is going on?"

I ignored the question and asked one of my own. "Who are they?" I gestured with my head.

Before she could answer, the man spoke up. "My name is Andreios and this is my mate Kel."

I looked them up and down. "Falcons."

They nodded. "We were banned from our city because we didn't approve of the way things were run. And we fell in love," the woman, Kel, explained.

"Yes, well. As touching as that is, it's really none of my concern," I said. I knew I sounded like a bitch, but I didn't care. I was under interrogation, hungry, and still healing. Not to mention I was the offspring of two very big cats with very short tempers.

The princess let out what I guess was supposed to be a growl, trying to intimidate me while telling me that she didn't approve of the way I was speaking. I merely narrowed my eyes and let out a growl of my own.

"If you want a fight, little girl, I'll be happy to oblige," I said, my fangs and claws elongating. I saw something flash in her eyes for a moment. It looked like a mix between respect and hatred.

"Makeila, please. Let's not start this again. First we would like to know your name," Danica wisely said. It was clear she didn't want her daughter to end up mince meat.

"I don't have a name."

She looked at me, slight shock in her eyes. "Don't have a name? Everyone has a name."

"Well, I don't," I said forcefully, annoyance in my voice.

"Figures," Makeila said under her breath. I heard her and glared. Her brother turned to her, a hard look on his face. He made a movement under the table and I saw Makeila's face twitch. Apparently, he had kicked her.

I smirked at her and it was her turn to glare at me.

"Makeila, if you can't behave properly toward our guest, you'll have to leave," Zane admonished.

"Yes, Father. I'm sorry."

_Yeah, you sound it._ I put my chin in my hand, allowing some of my white-blonde, black streaked hair to fall over my face. Letting out a sigh, I gave my attention back to Danica. "What else do you want to know?"

It was Andreios who spoke up this time. "Why were they wanting to kill you?"

I let out a loud sigh. "I am the daughter of two different species, a Tigrion and a Sarfandus," I was interrupted by Makeila.

"And what exactly is a Sarfandus?"

"A Sarfandus is what the humans would call a snow leopard."

"Oh."

I continued. "Their union wasn't forbidden, merely frowned upon. It was believed that a child between the two would be impossible because they were of two different races. But when they had me, they were shunned. They blamed me for making their lives hell. They wouldn't admit that it was their own fault. They knew that there was always that one chance out of one hundred, yet the fools still risked it. So we lived in the Tigrion dens, since my mother had no family. Her race was almost completely extinct. My 'parents' would always fight, usually about me. Mother wanted to kill me right off, but Father wouldn't allow it. He found some use in me and taught me to fight, in all four of my forms.

One day their fight turned deadly. They killed each other, leaving me on my own. I didn't really mind. In my opinion, I'd always been alone. In fact, I preferred it. I lived with the clan for eleven more years, maturing into what I am today. I was lusted after, even though I was the Forbidden Child. The men wanted me, and the women were jealous because of it. But because they could not have me, they placed a bounty on my head." I chuckled humorlessly at the memory. "The Tigers have a bad habit of destroying whatever they can't have. So I abandoned the home I grew up in. And then I came across this castle and here I am now, giving out my life's story. Are you satisfied?"

They nodded, each in deep thought. I caught Damien looking at me, sympathy in his eyes. I scoffed. What did I need of sympathy, it only made you weak.

"Yes. You've told us more than enough," Zane said.

"Good, because I had no intention of telling you anymore. Do you have anything to eat in this place? Preferably that came from an animal?"

The Diente nodded, a wry smirk on his face. "Andreios, could you show her the way, please."

The falcon nodded and motioned for me to follow him. I stood, not bowing or anything. Hearing Makeila make a sound of disgust, I decided to play a trick on her. Sure it was childish, but I didn't think killing one of the royals would keep me alive, though I'm sure I could take down a few dozen before I went down.

I flicked my fingers ever so slightly and the girls golden strands of hair turned green. She didn't notice and I turned back to Andreios, who was trying his best to stifle his chuckles.

I followed him out and down the numerous corridors. We walked in silence the entire time, me thinking of what kind of stuff they were going to feed me (I was hungry!) and he thinking of whatever.

We entered a large courtyard, people bustling about everywhere. Anyone who noticed us would step clear, backing further away from me than him. I found it amusing and smiled, showing my fangs and causing some of the women to gasp and clutch their young closer to them.

"Oh, stop it. You don't want too many enemies here, now do you?" Andreios admonished and asked at the same time.

I shrugged. "Actually, I couldn't care less."

He chuckled. "I thought so."

We passed by a few buildings. One looked like a school building and when I looked through a window, my suspicions were confirmed. There sat fifteen or twenty children with a teacher in the front. She was asking if anyone could explain the major social standards.

"Can anyone tell me the most important kingdoms of the Contardi?"

One little boy raised his hand and she called on him. He stood. "There are five major Contardi kingdoms: there are thehawks and the serpiente. Then there are the falcons, the wolves, and the Tigrions."

A little girl raised her hand.

"Yes, Sharice?"

"Um, what is the Contardi?" she asked timidly.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot you were new to this. Would anyone like to explain to Sharice about the Contardi?"

The same boy stood and I swear I could see a bit of smugness on his round little face. "The Contardi is all of the animal races. We all have the ability to take two different forms: that of a human and that of our animal counterparts. Some Contardi have the power to take more than one form because they are a cross of two or more different species, thus making them stronger or weaker, depending on the crossbreeding."

"Very good. Now who can tell me . . . "

I passed on, remembering my first lesson on the Contardi and the many different races.

Andreios took me to the kitchens, where everyone was hustling to get the evening meal finished. "Arteck, do you have any meat that you're not using at the moment? Our guest is getting a bit hungry."

Arteck, who I assumed was the head chef, didn't even look up at us. He went to a meat locker and took down a few hocks of ham. He tossed them to us and returned to chopping apples and oranges and skewering them onto metal rods to be cooked over the fire.

The two of us left the busy kitchen and sat at a table in silence.

"I'll leave you here. When you're finished, just ask one of the guards to take you to your room."

I didn't answer him. I figured I'd done more than enough talking for one day. Like I said before, I'm a quiet one.

He shrugged and left me to my own thoughts.

I gazed around the room, watching the hawks and serpiente communing together, and remembered the time when they were literally tearing each other apart. My thoughts then turned to Damian against my own will. It was impossible to have a relationship with him. He was a hawk and I was . . . well, I wasn't quite sure what I was. _Wait, hold up. Why am I thinking this? I don't like him. Look what happened the last time two different species mated, excluding Danica and Zane. Nothing will ever happen between us, thank God._

I finished my meal and grudgingly asked one of the guards to show me to my room. This time, I paid close attention to the pattern of the corridors. I was tired of always having to ask for help and it made me feel awkward.

Once in my room, I lay on the bed, my newly remembered wounds making themselves known. I fell asleep almost instantly, wondering what tomorrow would bring. I had a feeling that it was going to be interesting.

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What did you think? Tell me in a review. Also there's the little thing about lemons. I still need to know if you guys want them and how lemony you want them. If I don't get any feed back, there will just be some fluff. I'm sorry if this chapter sucked, I was havinga little bit of trouble with it. The next one will be in Damian's pov and we can finally figure out what he thinks of this. Also, if you'd like, you can give me suggestions on the main character's name. I have one, but I don't think it really suits her, so any suggestions will be nice. Also, if you want to flame me, do so. I'll read it, then I'll trash it. No biggie. At least I read them, so you know your opinions are known. Review. The more reviews I get, the faster I update. Just check out my story The Rose that Binds. It's got 12 chapters and 19 reviews. I'd rather have more, but I'm happy with it for now. All I'm sayin' is More Reviews- Faster Updates. They make me happy and (I don't know how) it makes me get over my writers block faster. It's weird, I know. But then again, I'm a very strange person. 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I awoke in my true form and stretched, kneading the blankets with my claws. I let out a cross between a small growl and a purr when I yawned, and then shook. Giving my tail a little flick, I jumped down from the silken sheets of my four-poster bed and reverted to my human form. I walked the length of the room, my feet sinking into the unbelievably soft rugs, and made my way to the bathroom.

When I reached it I froze, my eyes widened in amazement. It was huge. There was a tub in the furthest corner, hidden by a somewhat sheer curtain, that was at least the size of two jumbo hot tubs put together. Beside it, there was a shower, nearly just as large, allowing for you to sit or lay down and let the water massage your skin. In the other corner, was a porcelain toilet with a matching sink beside it. There was a glass shelf above the toilet that contained ice blue towels and rags and a cabinet beside it. When I opened the cabinet, all a woman's necessities were there: toothbrush and toothpaste, hair products, makeup, even some nail polish.

I closed the cabinet and walked to the bedroom door when someone, literally, was pounding on it. I yanked open the door just as the person was raising their fists. I groaned in my head. _Oh, come_ on! _I don't have time to put up with spoiled little princesses this early in the morning and without being clean._ Contrary to other felines, since I was part Tigrion and they were ultimately tigers, I loved the water. Tigers are naturally playful creatures and our favorite pastime is taking a dip or two in a clear pool.

Makeila stood before me, an irritated look on her face. "My father would once again like to speak with you."

I didn't answer her, only stared, and that seemed to really piss her off. She let out what I guess you could consider being close to a growl and stepped forward, her hand on the hilt of her sword. "Now, Cat."

I glanced at her hand, then back up to her and smirked. I then stepped back and slammed the door in her face, walking back to my spacious bathroom. On the way there, I shed the flimsy cloth of my bed gown, which was about two sizes too big, and my undergarments, just leaving them in a heap on the floor. I turned on the water as warm as I could get it and stepped into the gigantic tub. Letting out a sigh, I sunk low into the water to where only the sea-green color of my eyes were visible. I let my mind go blank, forgetting my troubles and ignoring the incessant pounding at my door. Absentmindedly, (literally), I blew little bubbles, watching them play across the water and then pop a few seconds afterward.

Closing my eyes, I sunk the rest of the way in, completely submerging myself. I didn't notice the bedroom door opening, nor the bathroom door doing the same. I opened my eyes under the water and saw the shape of someone. Thinking it was Makeila, and highly annoyed that she entered my domain without permission, I shot out of the water and wrapped my clawed hand around her neck, growling my irritation.

But, as it turned out, the "her" was a "him". I stared into two very surprised golden orbs and leaned back a little, only to take in Damian's shocked face. I looked at his hand and noticed a key. Looking back at his face, I saw he was blushing furiously and had his eyes downcast and to the side.

"S-sorry. I-I . . . F-father would like to-to see you," he stuttered.

I let go of him and walked to the glass shelf that contained the towels and rags. Grabbing two, I wrapped my long hair in one, then myself in the other. I turned to him again to see that he still had his face hidden.

"Yeah, Miss Prim-and-Proper already gave me the message. But as you can see, I wanted a bath first," I said, my voice surprisingly warm. Well, warmer than normal.

At my indication of a bath, he blushed even more and I smirked. "You don't have to be embarrassed. I'm not. You'll see it sooner or later, Young Prince." You'd think it'd be impossible for someone to get as red as he was. I had to suppress a giggle. _Wait, a_ giggle. _What the hell!_

"R-right. I'll . . . uh . . . just be going," he said, then shot out of there so fast, I was sure he transformed into a hawk before he left.

I chuckled and dressed into formfitting, dark purple pants with a matching top. The top was a tank top with a V neck and cloth arms that didn't connect to the actual top. They came to just below my elbow and there was a loop to put my middle finger in, keeping the "sleeve" in place. I walked out bare foot, as I always had. The jungle of the Mistari lands had hardened my feet to withstand sharp objects and sticks. And cold never really fazed me, seeing as I was half snow leopard.

Once I was dressed and my hair dried, I left. Once again, there was a guard stationed at my door, though whether to escort me to Zane or to make sure I didn't leave during the night, was unclear. I had a feeling it might have been both.

He led me down the now familiar corridors and to the same room as we were in yesterday. _This place really needs a decorator. A few throe pillows, a little pot pourri and we'd get along just fine._

The guard opened the door and motioned me inside. Just to be a smartass, I blew him a kiss, of which he blushed at. "See you later." I then winked and he quickly closed the door. Someone cleared their throat and I returned my attention to the room. There sat Zane, once again at the head of the table, and Kel and Andreios were beside him, one on each side. Kel had a small smile on her lips and Andreios was slightly shaking his head.

I smirked and stepped forward, sitting next to Kel. "So, what is it now?" Then, against my will, my smartass side had to once again take over. "Did Makeila cry to Daddy about how mean the half breed was to her? Does she need a lollipop? Or perhaps a little pat on the back." What was wrong with me? I never spoke this much . . .

Just as I said that, said girl walked into the room from a hidden door behind the tapestries. Her eyes narrowed and she stalked to me. "You little--"

"Makeila. Leave her be. I have a feeling this is just her personality in general," her father said. I could tell he was slightly annoyed by my jibs, but at the moment, I didn't really care.

She glared at me and sat beside Andreios. I grinned and secretly stuck out my tongue. _Yup, something is definitely wrong here . . . I hope she tries to kick my ass, I need--_

"The reason I summoned you here is because Andreios and Kel would like to ask you something," Zane said, interrupting my thoughts.

_That was probably a good thing . . ._ I turned to Andreios and put my chin in my hand, my eyes innocently large. _My God, I'm such a smartass today. Normally this would be fun, but the fact that I'm doing it_ now _. . . that's just not right. Usually I do it right when I meet them._

Andreios cleared his throat and rested his eyes on me. "Kel and I have been thinking."

_No-o-o-o. You? Think? Why, I do believe that's blasphemy!_

He continued. "We both watched you fight that tigress. You're a strong fighter, though a little careless . . . "

_Moi? Careless? Never!_

" . . . and we thought that it might be to your benefit, and ours, if you helped us train some of our recruits in hand to hand combat."

I froze. They all just looked at me and Makeila smirked. She'd seen my slightly shocked expression. I composed myself and sat up straight, all mock gone from my face and mind. "What's in it for me?" I learned long ago to be careful with whom I trusted.

"Well, for one thing, you'd have a place to stay. You would stay here in the room you're currently inhabiting," Kel said.

"And . . . the other thing?" I asked.

Makeila got this smirk on her face. She whispered, too softly for the others to hear, but to me it was perfectly clear. "You'll get to see Damian."

I glared at her and let out a very low growl. I rubbed my thumb and fore and middle fingers together underneath the table.

Makeila suddenly jumped up and rubbed her backside. "What the--? My ass feels like it just got frostbite!"

I snickered and Zane gave me a hard look. I stared at him, my eyes once again large and innocent. "What? Don't look at me, I'm being a good girl and sitting right here." I beamed at him. _Not!_

Kel gave me a little poke with her elbow and I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. She had this small smirk on her face.

"Anyway, back to business," Zane said, calling order back into the small room. "Not only would you be able to live here, you'd have protection from the other Tigrions."

At this, all of my humor vanished. "I don't need protection. If I can survive sixteen years with no one _protecting_ me, then I don't need it now."

The Diente's gaze softened. "That, my dear, is where you're wrong." All was quiet, then he spoke again. "Now that it's been laid on the table that we would like you to join our society and train our younger soldiers, I hope you'll think about it." He stood, indicating the meeting was over.

I stood and walked out, fully intending to return to my room alone. But Kel put a hand on my arm and stopped me. "Can I walk with you?"

I looked at the hand and she removed it. "Sorry."

I shrugged, my good mood completely vanished. "Do what you want."

We walked back to my room in silence. About a fourth of the way there, Kel turned to me. "Why would you say that about not needing protection. Protection shows that you're loved by someone and they're willing to risk their lives for you. Protection is a mutual agreement between two souls that says they'll always be their for each other. Protection--"

"Protection is for the weak. Only the weak need protected," I interrupted.

"And who told you that?"

"My father. And it makes perfect sense. Protecting someone and needing the protection of someone else is an inhibition to your strength. You can never be powerful if you're always worried about someone else."

"That is where you're wrong. The need to protect someone can make you stronger. If someone you care for is in danger, all you want to do is protect them, you would do anything for them, even die for them. And that . . . that is what makes you stronger."

I huffed and lapsed back into silence. We reached my door and I turned the knob.

"I hope I see you later . . . You know? We really need to find a name for you," she said. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then her face broke out in a grin. "I know! How about Nika?"

I gave her a look. "Nika?" I said in a flat voice.

"Yeah! You know, since you're a cat and the Japanese word for cat is 'neko', I just thought 'Nika' would suit you."

I shrugged and, still in the flat voice, said, "Whatever." I then closed the door. Walking to my bed, I flopped down on it, my arm over my eyes. _Do I really want to stay here? There is the free food. Not to mention the chance to piss off the princess. . . . And Damian._ I sat up and clamped my hands over my head. _Dammit! Forget that! It's never gonna happen. I'll always be alone. Never gonna happen . . ._

A sob escaped my throat. I tried to hold it in, but another one came. And another. And another. Tears soon followed and I gave up trying to hide my pain. I pulled my knees to my chest and fell to my side. _No! I can't cry. Crying only makes you weak . . . only makes you weak . . ._

_

* * *

_And there is chapter 3. What did you all think? Good, bad, okay? Lemme know! I'm sorry it was so late. I'll try to update more often, though I make no promises. Also, I still need the votes for lemon or no. I'm gonna post the votes so you all know where it stands. But I gotta know! So just tell me what you want and think. Okay? Okay. 

Yes lemon: 0

No lemon: 0

_Comments?_ Suggestions? **Questions?** _**Lemme know! All words will be GREATLY appreciated. (Even flamers. They make good fuel.)**_


	5. Not a Chapter AN

**Author's Note**

Okay, people. Just so all of you know, since I have six stories 'cause my mind just won't stop, it might start taking me a little while to update all of them. But I promise you, I _will_ get to them eventually. But don't expect it like . . . the next day, and in some cases the next month. I'm kind of busy as well, not much free time on my hands. But I won't abandon them or put them on hiatus. It'll just be sloooow updates. But don't let that stop you from reading. Thank you, by the way. I'll update as fast as I can. Sorry about this little inconvenience, but some of you--if not all--have had this problem at least once. Don't give up on me! When school ends in about 2 and 1/2 months, I should have more time, if I can get my brother off . . . annoying little . . . alien . . .yeeaah . . .


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Three months. Three months of the same routine. Wake up, get dressed, humiliate Makeila as much as possible, then go to the training grounds and try to teach a bunch of birds and snakes to fight. Oh, yes. I was having fun.

The usual came around. The sun peeked in through my window (I guess the maid opened the drapes. Again.), and woke me by shining in my eyes. Groaning, I rolled over, trying to ignore the flapping of the wings outside, signaling the waking of the rest of the castle. I sat up, stretching and rubbing my bare arms against the early morning cold. Ever since a maid came in and woke me while in my felinic form and was scared to death, literally, I'd gotten used to sleeping in my humanoid form. It wasn't the most comfortable way to rest, but Kel assured me that I would get used to it in time. It was amazing how quickly we'd become friends. Well, as close to friends as I would allow.

I stretched again and got out from under the covers, heading toward the showers. I still didn't lock the door. I wasn't shy of my body and I didn't care what others thought. Ever since Damian stumbled in on me, he'd been avoiding me as much as possible. Which wasn't very much at all. He was in my squad, basically my second in command, but still learning. I'm happy to say, I really enjoyed torturing him. I'd gotten into the habit of winking at him every chance I got, and I knew it was getting me a reputation most people wouldn't want. But, then again, I'm not most people.

I took a shower, reluctantly leaving the soothing stream, and then got dressed in my training outfit. It consisted of spandex calf capris and a tank top. A little form-fitting, yes. But I didn't care. I didn't seem to care about very much lately. I also wore fingerless gloves and my long hair in a high ponytail. When I first came out with that outfit, I received many stares. Not only was it form-fitting, it was slightly revealing. The neckline was a little deep and the bottom of the tank only came to just below my breasts, but the clothes were easy to move in, ideal for blocking and delivering attacks. I still couldn't understand how I'd gotten talked into this mess.

I walked to the mess hall, ate a little, then went to the training grounds. It was a little early, so I decided to warm up a bit. I stood in the middle of the field, my arms at my sides, eyes closed. Then, my eyes shot open and I was moving. Not quite as quickly as I could, but fast enough I would be hard to follow with an untrained eye. I did a few back- and front-flips to get my blood flowing, then practiced blocking and hitting. So intent on my warm up session was I, that I didn't hear Damian approach me from behind.

"Hi, Nika."

I spun quickly, grabbed his wrists, and flipped him into the air, kicking him when he was about five feet off the ground, sending him flying. But the little bit of skills he'd picked up came into play, and he twisted in midair, landing on his feet. He'd only grunted when I hit him and grimaced when he landed.

"You know better than to sneak up on me like that, Damian," I said. I walked to him and held out my hand, which he reluctantly took. I pulled him up and said, "Remember the last time?" He blushed and I smiled innocently.

He cleared his throat. "So, um, getting a little practice in?"

I chuckled, amused at his half-assed attempt to start a conversation. "Yeah."

"Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all. But I'm not going to take it easy on you, even if you are really cute," I said, earning another blush from him. Despite that, though, he took up a fighting stance, and I did the same. We stared at each other for a while, sizing the other up. Then he charged.

He flung his fist at me, trying to nail me in the gut, but I blocked him with my knee, then delivered my own punch. Mine hit, and he was forced back. But that didn't stop him for long. Shaking it off, he ran at me again, this time going for a kick and punch combo. I'm sorry to say, this one worked. First, he faked with a kick for my knees, and when I brought my arm down to block, he hit me in the jaw. I backed up and shook my head. That guy could hit . . . .

Our little sparring match was cut short as one of the kids in my squad came running. "Miss Nika, the Diente requests to see you. And you as well, Prince Damian," he said, out of breath.

We looked at each other, shrugged, and headed for the meeting room. It seemed I'd been there a lot lately . . . It was getting really old, really fast. We entered the room and sat in our usual places. Surprisingly, Zane and the others hadn't shown up yet. So I sat there, scratching small grooves in the table's surface and blowing an occasional hair out of my eyes.

Finally Zane entered, alone.

"What, no fan club?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

He only looked at me. "I've already briefed them on the situation. They know what they need to do." He sat and folded his hands above the table. "Now I want to talk to you. The Mistari are threatening to start a war," he said, looking straight at me.

But it was Damian who spoke. "Why?"

"Simple. Nika killed two of their tribes' leaders and they want retribution."

"So you're saying this is all my fault?" I asked in a monotone.

And without missing a beat he said, "Yes. To put it bluntly."

"Well, don't I feel special."

"So they want to start a war with us just because Nika was defending herself?" Damian asked incredulously.

"Yes. First they offered to spare us if we just handed her over to them. But when we refused, they sent an envoy to inform us that because we would not cooperate with the Mistari justice system, our people were now considered a threat until she was killed."

"That's ridiculous!" Damian shouted, standing.

"Sit down, Damian," I told him calmly. He looked at me and did as I asked. "To you it may seem so, but it's the way we operate." I turned to Zane, who'd been watching me closely. "Why didn't you give me up?"

"Because, despite the difference in our species, you're now a part of the 'family'. When you accepted to stay, you accepted all of us as your people," he explained.

"But what about the rest of your people. I'm sure they're not too thrilled about this little turn of events."

"I'm sure many of them aren't. But I am their Diente, their King, and what I say goes. There's nothing they can do about it."

"When are the Mistarans planning on starting this massacre?" Damian asked, scowling.

"In about two weeks," Zane said.

"Two weeks!"

The cobra nodded. "Yes. So I suggest we start getting ready." He stood and left. Damian looked at me, but I was in deep thought, so he left as well without disturbing me.

_Do the Mistarans want me that badly? To destroy hundreds of lives?_ I got up and left the meeting room, still in deep thought. I sat on a small bench beside a fountain, looking out at the bustling of activities. There were children playing in front of me, both avian and serpiente. They saw me and waved, calling out, "Hi, Nika!". I waved back. _One thing's for sure. If any of them hurt these kids, I'll make them pay._ I blinked. _God, since when did I get so soft? I need to go kick some ass . . ._

I returned to the training ground. My students were relieved of their sessions to help prepare for the oncoming battle, so I was free for the rest of the afternoon. But my day was dampened when I saw Makeila standing there as if waiting for me. _Well, I said I wanted to kick some ass._ In my mind I could 'see' a miniature version of me smiling maniacly. _She'll do._

"Did the princess get tired of playing with her toy soldiers?" I taunted.

Her face flared crimson and I knew it wasn't in embarrassment or shame. "Shut up, half-breed." I growled and she smirked. "I came to talk to you. Don't think for a second that if I wasn't sure my father would skin me alive and make a pair of boots out of me, I'd turn your ass over to the Mistarans in a heartbeat," she said, her eyes flaming.

"And what makes me think that that's not the only reason. C'mon, Miss Priss. Tell me the real reason."

She narrowed her eyes at the name, but answered me nonetheless, softly. "Because I don't want to hurt Damian."

I smirked. "Aw. Now was that so hard?"

"It's not my fault he fell in love with you!" she shouted. Her fists balled up and she glared harder at me. "But I'll tell you this. If you hurt him, I'll kill you ten times over, then bring you back so I can kill you again. And nothing my father could do could stop me."

I slowly walked toward her, my voice deadly. "Do I look like I care about your threats, Makeila. You and I both know there's nothing you can do to harm me. So why don't you run along. I'm sure your toys need some attention." _Okay, and now I'm acting like a total bitch. Must be that time of the month . . . Wait, do cats even have a 'that time of the month'?_ She stood her ground, looking up at me defiantly. "Don't worry, I have no intention of hurting your brother's feelings. But you might want to tell him that it could never work out. He's a bird and I'm a feline. I _eat_ his kind. Usually." I turned around and walked away.

"I meant what I said, half-breed," she called to me.

"I know. Half-breed."

* * *

Short, I know. But this isn't the easiest thing to write. I don't know how you authors that have like, ten different crossovers all in one fanfiction do it. It's hard just to do this many characters. . . course, I'm lazy, so maybe that's it. But, anyway. I gave up on the lemon thing. I guess I'll write one if the right time ever comes. I'm not sure whether or not people are reading this, but I'm going to trudge on anyway. Okay, I'll stop whining and junk. I hope you're enjoying this little fantasy. Until next time! 


	7. AN Temp HiatusSORRY

Okay, people, I know I said I wouldn't do it, but I have to. I really hate having to do it, but all of my stories are on temporary hiatus until further notice. I'm going to be gone for about 2 or 3 weeks, so I won't be able to update or work on them (not that I have been updating, which I'm really sorry about. Living on a farm is hectic, but I'm not asking for sympathy, I deserve every flamer and hate e-mail I get). Also, while on hiatus, I'm going to be writing chapter after chapter so that it doesn't take me near as long to update. I'm sure I've lost most if not all of my readers cause of my laziness, and I'm sorry. So I'm changing my ways. When the hiatus is over, you'll know. I'll update all of my stories the same day. I'm hoping I can get enough chapters that I can update every Friday. Once again, I'm sorry, but it can't really be helped. But please don't give up on me! 


	8. NEW AN

I LIVE! Honestly, I do. Unfortunately, I have some bad news:

Now, I realize that it has been AGES (over a year I believe) since I last posted some new chapters to most of my stories. Sadly, I'm afraid this streak will have to continue until at least September. Between going out of the country and getting ready for college, not to mention all of the singing gigs I've been doing lately, I don't really have time to update my stories. However, when I do, I am going to update like no other to make up for the time that has been lost. I apologize for my long absense...Things got hectic and I admit, I had forgotten about them most of the time and when I remembered, I just didn't have the motivation or want that was needed to update them. This will change when things start slowing down again.

Please be patient with me! I haven't forgotten any of you or my stories and am working on chapters, I just won't be posting them at this time. Until I once again appear out of no where, farewell!

AisuhanaRyuuInari


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